Who Can Attend

Open Event/Members & Guests – Open to all members of The Koa Club and their guests for free

Presented By

Morgan Boyle & Susan Seah, Outdoor Enthusiasts

Description

If you live in Washington State, come meet us for some fun clamming and oyster hunting at Dosewallips State Park, eastern gateway to the Olympics Peninsula.  We will be digging for manila littleneck clams, mussels and oysters.

According to the Washington State Park website: “The region is made up of forests, mountains, rivers, beaches and deltas – and surrounded by sound and sea. This freshwater/saltwater park makes a perfect day or weekend trip. It can also serve as a base from which to explore the historic forts and charming small towns to the north, or the first night on a grand road trip around the peninsula. The park’s moss-carpeted forest and glacial river slope down to a shell-strewn delta on Hood Canal, a delight for clam-diggers, anglers, boaters, birders and beach explorers.”

We will be looking at the tide tables for the Dosewallips Flats five days before the designated clamming date to find the best low tide period to meet (most likely in the early afternoon), so check back the week beforehand for meeting time update.

For more details about Dosewallips Flats and how to get to the parking lot: Dosewallips State Park | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The beach access parking area is just south of the Brinnon Store and the beach access trail head is located in the south east corner of the parking area. The parking area is marked on the highway. We will meet at the beach access parking area at the designated time (depends on the tide tables, so check back), then walk together to the clamming beach area.

You are responsible for your own transportation to Dosewallips State Park and for your own accommodations if you decide to stay in or near the Dosewallips State Park before or after the clamming adventure.

Clamming & Oyster Hunting Date: Saturday, June 12, 2021, meet at 12:30pmPT at the Dosewallips State Park Beach Parking lot (in front of the Ford Ranger truck) where we will walk down to the clamming beach together. If you miss us, you can look for us down at the beach where all the clamming happens.  Low tide is 12:50 pmPT on June 12.

For precaution against COVID-19, we are limiting this clamming adventure to no more than 20 people total. Please be aware that given the latest CDC guidance, we will defer to each fully vaccinated participant in deciding if they want to wear a mask during the hike. For those who are not yet fully vaccinated, please bring a mask to wear for your own protection.

What you will need and what you should know:

• A Discover Pass is required to park at Dosewallips State Park.
• A shellfish/seaweed license that is good from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. You can purchase one online or you can purchase one from certain sporting goods stores, such as Big 5.
• The daily personal limit for all marine clams is up to 40 clams but not to exceed 10 lbs. in the shell. In addition, horse clams have a separate daily limit of seven and you are allowed three geoducks daily. Its unlikely for us to find horse clams or geoducks in the Doswallips state park.
• For digging manila little neck clams, bring simple small garden tools, including a rake and a trowel. Most manila little neck clams are not far under the surface (usually 2 to 4 inches down).
• Rubber-dipped gardening gloves won’t keep your hands dry but they will keep them cleaner and protect hand from glass and other small impediments. You’ll need a 5-gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid to bring home your clams. Each person’s limits must be kept separate until leaving the beach, so you’ll need a net bag for each harvester; this also is helpful for rinsing clams of sand and grit.

About the Trip Leaders

Morgan Boyle has been interested in the outdoors since he was a child.  During his childhood he spent a lot of time solo hiking around the trails close to his house, oftentimes trying to get lost so he could find a route back to the trail head.  For the past five years Morgan has been a member of The Mountaineers allowing him to get back to hiking and learning new snow skills.  He has been involved with The Mountaineers snowshoe program as an instructor teaching Basic and Back Country skills; and he enjoys sharing how different the trails look with seasonal changes with all skills levels.

Susan Seah loves trying all sorts of new adventures, especially fun adventures in the outdoors. The last time Susan, Morgan and a group of their friends went clamming at Dosewallips State Park in 2018, they ended up with a collective total of 240 clams from their dig, along with numerous oysters, freshly shucked at the beach by Susan, which they took to the campsite and made a giant clam stew and oysters rockefeller for a wonderful dinner over campfire.

Disclaimer

The Koa Club strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before beginning any physical activities. You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the activity. You should understand that when participating in any physical activity, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this activity, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in this activity, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge The Koa Club from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown.